Wind funnel



Se t. 22, 1942. e. JOHNSON wnm FUNNEL Filed Dec. 6, 1940 4 INVENTOR BY EEEIREE JUHNSDN 62. kw

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIND FUNNEL George Johnson, San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 6, 1940, Serial No. 368,824

1 Claim.

This invention relates to ventilators and has particular reference to a wind funnel or ventilater for use on boats and like craft where it is desirous of introducing air into the boat without the danger of spray or rain water entering with the air.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a wind funnel which conforms in general arrangement to the usual funnel used on boats for ventilating purposes but which will catch and remove from the air currents any excessive moisture which may attempt to enter with the stream of air.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which is economical to manufacture, is neat in appearance, and is simple to install.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character wherein the removal of the water from the air will be done in such a manner as to not restrict the passage of air through the funnel.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. l is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1, looking from the left of the drawing;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View taken on the line III-III of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view, showing the manner in which any water is removed from the air current.

On boats and like craft it is necessary to provide ventilation in the cabin, particularly in motor boats where gasoline and oil fumes accumulate in the bilge and produce explosive mixtures. Therefore, it has been customary to use wind funnels which are bell-shaped in arrangement having a mouth usually directed forwardly so as to gather any air currents caused by the movement of the boat, which mouth directs air into the throat, which in turn communicates with the interior of the cabin. This arrangement is ideal in calm, clear weather. However, when the boat is under way, it often occurs that a spray or even large waves may come aboard in suflicient volume to enter the mouth of the funnel and then pass into the cabin. Severe driving rains may also cause 'water to enter the cabin.

Applicant has, therefore, produced a funnel wherein any water entering the mouth of the funnel will be trapped before it reaches the throat and will be discharged outside of the funnel, thus permitting only fresh and relatively dry air to enter the interior of the boat.

It is, of course, understood that my device might be used in other'places than boats where ventilation is desired.

In the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates the body of the device, which is so formed as to provide a substantially circular mouth opening 6 and a throat I. A flange 3 acts as a stop for the screw thread 9, through the mediumof which the device is fastened to the supporting boat structure.

The structure thus far described is similar to any standard funnel, and my improvement consists of forming a separating chamber II to the rear of the mouth and to one side of the throat. In the bottom of this chamber I form an angularly disposed separator slot I 2. Where the chamber communicates with the throat I I provide a baffle i3 which has its ends curved upwardly, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. The floor of the mouth is curved downwardly, as shown at I4, and is provided with a gutter I6 which has its ends curved downwardly toward the upturned ends of the baffle [3.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the separator slot I2 is so formed that the forward edge I! is at a higher level than the rear edge [8.

The result of this construction is that when the device is positioned upon a boat or other supporting surface, should any water enter the mouth 5, it will either fall upon the floor M or will strike against the back surface A. The water on the floor M will be led by the gutter to the sides and thence on into the separating chamber to one side of the normal draft area. The water contacting the back surface A will flow downwardly until it encounters the slot I2 where it will pass out, as shown in Fig. 4. The fact that the edge I1 is above the edge l8 causes a separating action, which is very rapid and will take care of large quantities of water. It might be mentioned that the edge ll planes off the water from the air current. Any moisture which may reach the bafiie I 3 will be stopped from entering the throat I.

It will thus-be seen that I have produced a device which will accomplish all the objects herein set forth.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In the wind funnel of the character described, a body formed so as to provide an open bellshaped mouth and having a throat vertically disposed beneath said mouth, a separating chamber depending from said mouth and extending inwardly of said throat and connected thereto through an opening formed in the wall of said throat, said wall being common to both said throat and said separating chamber, a curved baflie formed between said throat and said chamber, said mouth having a floor portion terminating in a curved gutter draining into said separating chamber, and a slot formed in said separating chamber and angularly disposed with relation to the surface of said chamber and arranged crosswise of the path of movement of air through said chamber, the forward edge o\f said slot being directed toward said throat.

GEORGE JOHNSON 

